The Lesser-Known Vote

Every four years, three big events impact every American citizen:

1. We have an extra day in February.
2. We adjust our television viewing schedules to accommodate the Summer Olympics.
3. We vote for President.

But, many of us spend more time learning the obscure rules of sports we normally care nothing about than the people whose names we’ll stare at on the ballot on November 4.

By now, you probably know at least something about the candidates for President and Vice President. But, those aren’t the only votes you can cast this year. Every member of the U.S. House of Representatives will be up for re-election. One third of all U.S. Senators will be on the ballot. And, you will likely have some combination of state legislative races, amendments, or city races in your area. I always take great care in selecting who I want to send to Washington, but I also think the “lesser” races are just as important for all of us.

Why do these races matter to me? Jesus tells us the way we treat the “least” of those around us is very important, and it’s a reflection of what we think about Him (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus also recognized the importance of the government leaders (like Caesar) in our lives (Matthew 22:15-22), but he directly dealt with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-67).

I also know that if I am going to get serious about making an impact in my world, following the international gold medal count won’t get me anywhere. My local candidates may seem like the least important people in this election cycle, but they are my most direct connections to the government. They are the officials I can actually talk to when I want to solicit support for a cause. They determine the zoning ordinances that decide what I can do to my house, business, and church. And, they could become the people on the presidential ticket. Sarah Palin began her political career on the city council, and Barack Obama served in his state’s general assembly. What if your local government official ran on the presidential ticket in the next decade…and you didn’t know if you had helped or hurt their early political career?

I was not always passionate about the so-called “lesser” races. The first time I exercised my right to vote, I went to the polls only informed about the big races. When I got to the booth, there were races and names I knew nothing about. So, I started selecting names that sounded interesting.

Then I stopped to think about it. What if I was a sheltered vegetarian who went to a McDonald’s for the first time. Imagine walking in, looking at the menu, and saying, “Well, I don’t know anything about these food options, but that word ‘McNuggets’ is kind of cool, so I’ll choose that.” Why would I order something I don’t believe in and end up with something I don’t support? I could have taken a few minutes online to find out the menu options before I got there—is that so hard?

I admit it can be more entertaining to learn about the strange rules of doubles ping-pong or the latest shenanigans in the presidential race, instead of what a “yes” vote means on a complicated referendum. But, the other people and issues on the ballot this year will shape your life in ways a President cannot. You have an extra 24 hours this year, so why not use some of that time to know the issues in every race? There will always be time to learn about team handball.

If you’re looking to learn more about the candidates running in your local election and where they stand on each issue, check out Project Vote Smart and Real Clear Politics. If you want to see unedited video of the Presidential candidates’ campaign stops, US Senate or House proceedings, or government committee meetings, you can find it all at C-SPAN.org. CSPAN’s Web site also has a “Resources” section with extensive information about local, state, national, and international governments. And, your local media outlets will most likely have their own election sections on their Web sites.